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Although yen suggests no more than a strong desire these days (as in “a yen for a beach vacation”), at one time someone with a yen was in deep trouble: the first meaning of yen, used in the late 19th century, was an intense craving for opium. The word comes from yīn-yáhn, a combination of yīn, meaning “opium,” and yáhn, “craving,” in the Chinese language used in the province of Guangdong. In English, the Chinese syllables were translated as yen-yen, and eventually shortened to yen.
Synonyms of yen
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Noun (2)
Verb
Examples of yen in a Sentence
Noun (2)
I have a strange yen to take the day off from work
Verb
A car lover who predictably yens for the latest and greatest new models.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
The rebuke came after Akazawa said during a Sunday TV appearance that correcting the weak yen through monetary policy was among the options for curbing rising import prices.
—Yoshiaki Nohara, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
Travelers to Japan could be required to sign up for the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA) and pay a fee of about $19 (3,000 yen), as Fox News Digital reported earlier.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
But in recent years, a weak yen is working as a negative, as resource-poor Japan imports much of its energy, as well as other key products such as food and manufacturing components.
—ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
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Noun
Stock Chart IconStock chart icon How the dollar has performed against the euro, sterling and yen since the start of 2026.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
The rebuke came after Akazawa said during a Sunday TV appearance that correcting the weak yen through monetary policy was among the options for curbing rising import prices.
—Yoshiaki Nohara, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
Travelers to Japan could be required to sign up for the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA) and pay a fee of about $19 (3,000 yen), as Fox News Digital reported earlier.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
But in recent years, a weak yen is working as a negative, as resource-poor Japan imports much of its energy, as well as other key products such as food and manufacturing components.
—ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yen
Cite this Entry
“Yen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yen. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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